Imprudence not malice led to alleged military security breach: rear admiral

Jennifer Stahn

Vehicles enter Canadian Forces Base Halifax, in Halifax, on October 22, 2014. Military police in Halifax are investigating an alleged security breach at HMCS Trinity, one of the Royal Canadian Navy's most sensitive security operations.

Image Credit: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

January 05, 2016 - 1:00 PM

HALIFAX - The commander of the Royal Canadian Navy on the Atlantic coast says an alleged security breach at one of the navy's most sensitive security operations was the result of imprudence not malice.

Rear Admiral John Newton says the so-called data spill was the result of mishandling of secret files by a civilian employee and did not pose a threat to military intelligence.

Military police in Halifax allege that between 2004 and 2009 a web designer working at HMCS Trinity — the military's principal East Coast intelligence centre — used Defence Department networks to improperly store secret files.

A search warrant filed in provincial court alleges the actions of a man identified only as "Mr. Zawidski" violated a section of the federal Security Information Act that deals with wrongful communication of information.

None of the allegations has been proven in court and Newton said he has receive no indication that charges have been laid.

The warrant says military police seized four hard drives, a laptop computer, some CDs and floppy disks from Zawidski's Halifax office at HMC Dockyard in September following a complaint about a possible security breach.

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